Faith Quote by Samuel Beckett
““But my dear man, come, be reasonable. Look, this is you, look at this photograph. And here's your file: no convictions, I assure you. Come now, make an effort! At your age, to have no identity! It's a scandal, I assure you. Look at this photograph. What, you see nothing? True for you? No matter. Here, look at this death's-head: you'll see, you'll be all right, it won't last long. Here, look, here's the record: insults to policemen, indecent exposure, sins against the holy ghost, contempt of court, impertinence to superiors, impudence to inferiors, deviations from reason. Without battery - look, no battery! It's nothing. You'll be all right, you'll see.””
About This Quote
Source Play: Endgame, Samuel Beckett, 1957
A character confronts another with a barrage of accusations and absurdities, urging them to accept their lack of identity and the fleeting nature of existence.
In simple terms: Confronted with absurd accusations, one is urged to accept impermanence.
Key Takeaway
Embrace impermanence, release identity concerns.
Themes
absurdity
identity
existence
authority
humor
Mood
darkly humorous
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
satirical
dramatic
When to use this quote
- legal trouble
- personal crisis
- mental health
- social alienation
Key Concepts
existentialism
nihilism
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What does identity mean to you?
- How do you respond to absurd authority?
A Different Perspective
The humor may mask deeper despair, limiting genuine self‑reflection.
![“They [photographs] teach you about your own unraveling past, or about the immediacy of yesterday. They show you what you look at. If you take a photograph, you've been responsive to something, and you looked hard at it. Hard for a thousandth of a second, hard for ten minutes. But hard…” quote by Joel Meyerowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/006/joel-meyerowitz-24422_bites_they-photographs-teach-you-about-your-ow_541130.jpg)
